


Telling Bilbo

by ancalime8301



Series: Legacy [11]
Category: The Lord of the Rings (Movies), The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Gen, Mpreg
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-03-20
Updated: 2007-03-20
Packaged: 2018-06-05 18:37:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,235
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6716482
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ancalime8301/pseuds/ancalime8301
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Frodo has a conversation with Bilbo about his situation.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Telling Bilbo

From the moment he set foot in Rivendell, Frodo was nagged with the need to tell Bilbo what had happened to him. He wasn't sure how the older hobbit would react, but just the act of telling someone outside the travelling party would be a relief, and for that person to be Bilbo would ease his mind greatly. Now there was just the matter of finding the proper time to bring up the subject . . . if there were a "proper time" for such a revelation!

His opportunity came two days after they arrived in Rivendell and one day after the house had celebrated Bilbo's birthday (and his own, if he was being honest, but he preferred to confer the honour on his former guardian). It was mid-afternoon, the house was quiet -meaning, of course, that Merry and Pippin had gone off to make mischief and he would be hearing about it by day's end- and he found Bilbo alone in his set of rooms, napping in his chair.

Frodo lurked at the door a moment, steeling himself to enter, when a touch to his shoulder nearly startled him out of his skin. He whirled around to find Sam, who was looking apologetic.

"I didn't mean to startle you, Mr. Frodo," he said earnestly. "I just saw you come here and thought you might be preparing to tell Mr. Bilbo, like, and I wondered if you wanted company."

Frodo took a deep breath to calm his twice-racing heart. "Yes, that is why I came, and I am grateful for your consideration." He paused, considering. "I'd like to try this alone, if you don't mind, but it might help if you sat out here while I do it. Then if it gets awkward you can come in and change the subject."

Sam near beamed. "Sounds right good, Mr. Frodo!" he said eagerly, already looking for a place to lurk near the door. He found a suitable spot a bit down the wall from the door where he could still hear what transpired within without his presence being noticed. He crouched down and said, "I'll be right here if you need me."

Frodo nodded absently, his mind already having returned to the task ahead. He returned to the door and saw that Bilbo was near to waking; it was now or never. Frodo quietly stole into the room -making sure to leave the door partially ajar so Sam could listen in- and seated himself in the chair opposite Bilbo's before the fire. He had just gotten settled when Bilbo opened his eyes.

"Good afternoon, lad," Bilbo said with a yawn.

"Good afternoon, Bilbo," Frodo returned politely, but hesitated from saying anything more. Now that a conversation was begun, he dearly wished to be anywhere but right here at this moment.

Bilbo eyed him with amusement. "Out with it, Frodo-lad. You can't keep it from old Bilbo when you need to get something off your chest."

Frodo took a deep breath, let it out, and said in a rush, "I'm going to have a babe, Bilbo."

Bilbo pulled his pipe from his pocket and thoughtfully gnawed on the stem. "Really, now? Were there eligible hobbit lasses in Minas Tirith?"

Frodo's heart sank as he realized he would have to actually come out and say it. He kept his eyes fixed on his fidgeting hands and said softly, "No, there's not a lass, Bilbo. I'm the one having the babe."

"I see . . . I thought there was something new about you, but I could not have guessed," Bilbo said slowly. "How is this possible?"

Frodo still did not dare to look up at Bilbo's expression or he would have seen it was curious, not disdainful. "I've been told this was done to me as a gift from Eru, perhaps to help me heal from all that has happened . . ." he trailed off, not sure how to continue.

"'Done to' you? So you do not agree that it is a gift?"

Trust Bilbo to see right to the heart of the matter! "I do not know," Frodo replied. "It seems too much of an imposition to be a gift, really, and I -" he stopped short.

"And?" Bilbo prompted.

"I did not mean for this when all I did was wish for a family in the Shire to go home to! This is not what I meant, and I don't know that I want it." He felt a tear slip down his cheek.

"Frodo, look at me," Bilbo gently commanded. Frodo hesitantly complied, and found Bilbo's expression was kind and his eyes warm. "I will not deny the idea of my nephew bearing a child is a strange one, but I am happy that you will be able to have an heir without having to go to all the trouble I did to procure one," he said with a wink, then sighed when Frodo didn't so much as try to smile. "Come here, lad," he said, gesturing to the floor by his feet.

Frodo obeyed dutifully and sat against Bilbo's chair next to his uncle's leg. Bilbo reached out and ruffled Frodo's curls, drawing his head to rest against Bilbo's knee.

"Things in life have a way of turning out, no matter how bleak they may seem while you're in the middle of something terrible. I'm sure you know this from my stories, and I don't believe it would be amiss to infer that your own adventure had its share of those times. But it's important, lad, to remember that even a situation like this, much good can come of it."

He let that statement soak in before continuing, "Tell me, would you have had a child if this didn't happen?"

Frodo slowly shook his head against Bilbo's knee. "Most likely not," he whispered. "I don't know of any lass that would have me now."

"Now tell me, haven't you always wanted to have children of your own? I know the answer to that is yes."

"Yes, at least one or two, but . . . " Frodo hesitated. "The time was never right, and I could feel that there was something ahead for me that meant I couldn't settle down just yet. Eventually I gave up on the idea since it didn't seem it would ever happen."

"But don't you see? Now it has happened! How can you not be joyful that your dream of having your own family is finally coming true?"

"I did not expect to be the one bearing the babe," Frodo said wryly.

Bilbo chuckled. "So it is not as you planned. You would reject this gift, this fulfillment of your dream simply because it does not come in the manner you anticipated?"

Frodo did not answer for a long time. He had to admit Bilbo had a point, but could he really accept this that easily?

When Frodo failed to respond, Bilbo said, "I'll let you think on that, Frodo. But before I let you wander off, when is the babe expected to arrive?"

This he could answer. "Early March, Elrond said, if I carry it to term."

"Spring is an auspicious time for babes," Bilbo said with satisfaction, then lapsed into silence, and when Frodo turned to look up at him, he was fast asleep.

Frodo rose and pressed a kiss to Bilbo's forehead, whispering, "Thank you, Bilbo," before retreating from the room. As usual, Bilbo had given him much to consider.


End file.
